HONG KONG: Hong Kong's former No. 2 official, John Lee, said on Wednesday he had formally registered his candidacy in the election for the top job after securing 786 nominations to enter the race. Lee, who resigned as chief secretary last week before declaring he would run for chief executive, is the only candidate formally entered so far for the May 8 vote. He is considered Beijing's favored candidate and a sign of the central government further tightening its control over the territory. Lee's 786 nominations are well over 50 percent of the 1,454-member Election Committee that will select the next leader. The nomination period ends on Saturday and the committee will elect the winner by absolute majority. 'It is not easy, as I have been working very hard to explain to various members what my election platform will be like,' Lee told reporters. He reiterated that he will focus on a results-oriented approach to solve problems, keeping Hong Kong competitive and setting a firm foundation for the development of Hong Kong.
